


The Fluff Job

by VealChopz



Category: Surly Squirrel, The Nut Job (2014)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, The Nut Job - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-22
Updated: 2016-06-22
Packaged: 2018-07-16 12:59:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7269175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VealChopz/pseuds/VealChopz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Surly and Buddy get ready for their first winter together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Fluff Job

**Author's Note:**

  * For [QueenOfTheCrossroads](https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenOfTheCrossroads/gifts).



> For the Will to my Peter, per your request. <3

The wind was ice cold and promising snow. Surly could almost smell the ice on the air as he bounced from branch to branch to get back to the den he shared with Buddy. It was the knowledge that Buddy was probably warming himself and waiting for Surly that kept the squirrel moving even as the rain started to fall, matting his purple fur and making him feel heavy. 

Almost as soon as the rain began to fall, Surly felt the the temperature drop dangerously low. Rain turned to sleet, slicking the barky surfaces the squirrel was running across to get home. If he made it there. His paws burned angrily from the wet mixing with the temperatures but still Surly scurried as fast as he could to get home to his Buddy.

For months Surly and Buddy had been helping the park gather food while quietly stowing away enough food for themselves. Surly had waited until the very last second to tell Andie that they wouldn’t be staying with the rest of the park. Now Surly was regretting procrastinating as the ice was growing thicker, the branches less forgiving, and his face and paws burning. 

Surly’s bravado almost faltered as the branch he was on snapped under the weight of the squirrel and ice. Had they made a mistake? Should they just have stayed with the park? Would they have even have enough food for winter? Slamming into a low hanging branch, Surly snarled at himself. He was never going to make it back to Buddy if he didn’t at least pretend he was confident in himself. He only had three more trees to go. 

Scurrying along the trees as quickly as his water heavy body would carry him, Surly could see the small hole that would lead him into the little nest he’d created with Buddy. His Buddy. Silent but sweet and supportive Buddy. Warmth spread through Surly’s chest just at the thought of the rat and it was just enough to get the squirrel where he needed to be. 

With a little jump and a wiggle Surly was able to force his way into the small opening in the wood of a large tree in the park that led into a hollowed out section of the tree. They had laid layer after layer of down, grass, leafs, and sticks to make a cozy winter hide away. Buddy had even figured out a way to store their food close enough that they could access it without dealing with the elements. His clever rat, Buddy. 

Surly looked around his darkening nest and found Buddy curled under a pile of leafs, sleeping soundly. Yes, they’d made the right choice. Trying to rub the pins and needles out of his paws, Surly tried to warm himself before he moved to snuggle up to Buddy. At least he’d made it home before the snow really started. The squirrel watched the snow come down in heavy clumps as he tried to rub the ice out of his fur. 

Gentle paws on his fur about made Surly jump out of his skin as he turned to see the green eyes and gray face of his Buddy. Always silent, rarely speaking, Buddy. There was a feeling that Surly always had when he saw Buddy, felt his paws on his fur but the squirrel couldn’t place what that feeling was. Surly was about to tell Buddy to go back to bed but the rat was already silently picking ice and snow out of Surly’s where he knew the squirrel would never be able to reach. The pair of them almost never had to speak when they were alone. When they were out in the world, Surly spoke for them both. When they were home? There was no need.

Besides, he liked how it felt to have Buddy grooming him. Strong paws running through his purple fur, pushing air in and fluffing him up. It was a nice feeling and it was very quickly warming Surly up. The sharp feeling in his pads and toes was slowly fading the longer he stayed inside. 

Giving his Buddy a gentle nuzzle, Surly snuggled against the warmth of the rat next to him as they watched the snow start to gather. The sleepy warmth that Buddy was putting out only made Surly’s eyelids heavy. “Come on, Buddy. Let’s sleep.”

Surly pulled himself from the view of snow and ice wanting nothing more in that moment to curl up with Buddy and rest. Helping Buddy burrow out what Surly could only assume was Buddy’s attempt at making them a nest, Surly helped his rat snuggle into the bedding before curling in himself. Once Surly was snuggled next to his Buddy, the squirrel realized just now tired he actually was. The warmth and soft down of the rat next to him only sought to pull Surly into a light sleep. 

He could feel Buddy moving to get comfortable, nuzzling tightly against Surly his paws sinking into Surly’s fur. With the gentle warmth of Buddy entwined with him, Surly couldn’t help but sigh with content. Yes, this was better than hibernating with the rest of the park. Especially as a quiet and seldom heard voice disturbed the soft sounds of snow hitting their tree trunk. “Love you.”

Opening his eyes, Surly couldn’t help but smile at Buddy who was laying on the same leaf as him, watching his face. Surly gave his rat a loving nuzzle against his face before laying back down. “I love you too, Buddy.”


End file.
